


Hands

by slashedsilver



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-10-16
Updated: 2008-10-16
Packaged: 2017-10-17 23:52:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/182680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashedsilver/pseuds/slashedsilver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a prompt at the <a href="http://akasakalovemeth.livejournal.com/601.html?thread=13145#t13145">JE Rare Pair Anonymeme</a>, that asked for "anything really, but this is coming from Aiba smacking Nino in the face a million times for making fun of his family restaurant on Shukudai-kun."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hands

It wasn't that Nino went out of his way to rile Aiba up  _on purpose_. It was just that Aiba got adorably flustered whenever the dignity of his family's Chinese restaurant came under question, and Nino never could resist a well-placed remark now and then, especially when it came to this particular topic.

The fact that this invariably led to Aiba frantically trying to smother him somehow, to keep him from saying any more -- well, this was just a bonus. It had nothing to do with the way Aiba's fingers were gentle at the back of his neck as he held Nino's head still so he could smack him properly, or how warm Aiba's palm was when he smoothed it down Nino's face, as though he could wipe away Nino's comments.

And throughout the whole exchange, Aiba would remain oblivious, distracted by the good-natured remarks of the other members as they joined in the teasing. And Nino would be free to smile quietly to himself, unnoticed, the real, indulgent smile he could never quite hide when it came to Aiba. He was glad Aiba never caught the expression on Nino's face; it would be far too embarrassing, and a tiny part of Nino was afraid of what might happen after that.

Aiba was different from him. Nino was always careful about expressing his own feelings, watchful of how it might look to others, and how it would affect his image. Aiba let it all out, regardless of who might be watching and how they might judge him. Nino's movements were measured, even the times he lolled over Ohno or placed a familiar hand on Jun. There were rules to this: Nino could get into other people's space, but they would never be allowed to enter the personal space he guarded jealously. To be honest, Nino didn't quite know how to let them, sometimes.

Aiba, on the other hand, had no sense of boundary. If he felt comfortable with someone, he found no need to erect walls or barriers any longer; they were friends, and Aiba trusted his friends.

Nino needed this honesty, this simplicity, sometimes.

And he knew exactly how to get it.

"So, about the gyoza..."


End file.
